(II) JOONGANG ILBO - JI-SU, translator

Here is a translated account of the Korean story into English. Included are Ji-su's words in an e-mail sent to the team before the translation (and Steve's editing):

Oops guys, I was too excited to see your name in the paper that I didn't read properly. Umm ... so I thought we were doing the project to promote the environment, but suddenly it got changed to a "PROMOTING BEAUTIFUL JEJU" project.

OK

WHAT THE F***

GOSH, no wonder why I couldn't find this newspaper in Family Mart. ... Umm ... Enjoy the article?

-Ji-su

Article translation:

"Swimming and kayaking around Jeju ... We will spread the beauty of Jeju to the world"

Hibbard and Oberhauser came to Korea as English teachers

"How often can we see such a beautiful place? I want to let the world know about Jeju"

Two foreigners living in Jeju announced they will go around Jeju by sea. They are Sherrin Hibbard (51, female) and Steve Oberhauser (31).
Hibbard will swim and Oberhauser will kayak (a small boat for 1 to 2 people for competition) and they will swim around 250 kilometers of the Jeju sea.

These people who made "The Jeju Big Swim" project team will start the big trip at the end of July and go around the island for 30 days. During the daytime they will swim and kayak, and at night they come back inland and either stay in a minbak or camp outside in a tent. During the swim, they will write their daily log and post pictures on their blog, letting the netizens all around the world know about the scenery of Jejudo.

[Picture: Hibbard (on the right) and Oberhauser, who will swim 250 kilometers around Jeju at the end of July, posed at Samyang Black Sand Beach during their training.]

Hibbard left her hometown Sydney and came to Jeju in 2004. Currently she is working as an English teacher in Jeju National University Middle School. Sherrin, who enjoys skin SCUBA when she has time, says "The unexplored region inside the sea is more beautiful than anywhere around the world." She is a Jeju sea devotee. Two years ago when the first program for raising Haenyo was established in "Hansupul Haenyo Hakgyo" in Jeju-si, Hallim-eup, she went in on the first year and learned "muljil/Haenyo diving."

Oberhauser who is doing this with her is from Virginia, United States. He came to Jeju in 2008 and currently works as an English teacher at Sehwa High School in Gujwa-eup. Steve, who also works as an English News Reporter at KCTV, enjoys whitewater rafting and kayaking. He got asked by Hibbard, who lives in the same village, saying, "Let's start an event to promote the value of Jeju as World Natural Heritage Site" and agreed to it.

These two have started intense training from last month in the nearby Samyang Black Sand Beach. They train 2 hours per day during the weekdays and 3 to 4 hours during the weekend. After their plan was spread to others, Jeju University student Hyun Sung-mi (23) and her friends decided to support them. While these two swim and kayak, Hyun will do media communication and support. Hyun said "This is something that had to be done to promote my hometown Jeju."

-Ji-su's writing, Steve (editing only)